Instruments



July 1, 1958 E. J. BEACH ET AL 2,841,044

INSTRUMENTS Filed March so, 1956 IN V EN TOR-S.

EARLE J- BEACH JACOB T KUNZ FM, WMaM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent M INSTRUMENTS Earle J. Beach, East Grange, N. J.,and Jacob T. Kunz, North Hills, Pan, assignors to SchulmerichElectronics, Inc., Sellersville, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication March 3t 1956, Serial No. 575,259

1 Claim. (Cl. 84*423) This invention relates to musical instruments, andmore particularly to a keyboard device for selectively controlling anelectrically operated chime instrument.

Instruments for producing chime and bell notes are well known in themusical arts and the term chime instrument," as used herein, is to beconstrued as referring to instruments producing chime notes andinstruments producing bell notes. Such instruments generally include aplurality of vibrator elements which are selectively operable to producethe musical notes. The mechanical vibrations of the vibrator elementsare converted into electric signals of varying frequency by pick-upmeans, and the resulting signals amplified and fed into a transducerelement such as a loudspeaker. In certain types of chime instruments, anindividual note is pro-duced by a single vibrator element, while inother types, an individual note is produced by a plurality of ofvibrator elements, each of which produces a partial or harmonic of thenote. Regardless of the type of instrument, however, means must beprovided to selectively actuate the vibrator elements so that theinstrument may be played.

Where the chime instrument itself is to be located a substantialdistance from the player, it is usually desirable to employ electricallycontrolled actuating means for vibrating the vibrator elements. Theactuating means may comprise solenoids or other devices which convertelectric control signals into mechanical vibrations of the vibrators. Inorder to play the chime instrument, a plurality of switches are arrangedto selectively control the actuating means so that the player has merelyto close an individual switch to produce the desired note.

Several prior art arrangements have been devised for actuating theswitches. in one such arrangement, the switches are actuated by plungerslocated on the riser portion of the keyboard of a master musicalinstrument such as an organ or a piano. This arrangement, however,suffers from the defect, that the average player accustomed to theconventional piano-type keyboard, may find it diflicult to manipulatethe plungers in the proper sequence, without the use of a guide withwhich he is familiar.

In another arrangement, a miniature piano-type keyboard is used toactuate the switches controlling the chime instrument. Each key on thekeyboard is individually movable to actuate a switch associatedtherewith and the entire keyboard is mounted on the master musicalinstrument. While this arrangement is more satisfactory in that itpermits easier playing of the instrument, the use of individualminiature movable keys renders it more expensive to manufacture andmaintain.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a keyboarddevice, for controlling an electrically operated chime instrument, whichis especially suitable for mounting on a master musical instrument andwhich facilitates the playing of the chime instrument associatedtherewith.

2,841,044 Fatented July 1, 1958 It is a further object of this inventionto provide a keyboard device, for controlling an electrically operatedchime instrument, which is small and compact in size and which consistsof a few relatively simple moving parts, thus rendering it inexpensiveto manufacture and maintain.

Briefly, the keyboard device of the invention comprises a frame adaptedfor mounting on a master musical instrument and having a simulatedpiano-type keyboard of reduced size formed thereon. A plurality ofelectric switches are aifixed to the frame in a cavity formed by theframe and are adapted to control an electrically operated chimeinstrument. Switch operators extending through the simulated keyboardand frame are arranged to actuate the electric switches in the cavity.Each of the switch operators passes through a key on the simulatedkeyboard which is musically representative of the note controlled by theswitch associated with that operator, so that the simulated keyboardserves as a guide for the playing of the chime instrument.

The switch operators may comprise plungers having abutments formed onthe end thereof located in the cavity formed by the frame. The abutmentson the plungers are arranged to bear against a portion of the length ofstrips of conductive spring-like material forming the movable contactmeans of the electric switches. Fixed contact means for the electricswitches are afiixed to the frame in the cavity and cooperate with themovable contact means. The strips of conductive material are fastened atsubstantially one end thereof to the frame in the cavity so thatmovement of the plungers associated therewith causes the free ends ofthe strips to engage the fixed contact means. In this arrangement, thestrips of conductive material serve the dual functions of acting as themovable contacts of the switches and serving to bias the plungers totheir switch-open positions.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description and drawings which aremerely exemplary.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a keyboard device constructed accordingto the invention, with the frame of the device partially broken away toreveal certain details of construction; and

V Fig. 2 is a view in the direction of the arrows 22 in Fig. l, with aportion of the frame removed to show details of switch construction andmounting.

Referring first to Fig. l of the drawing, there is shown a keyboarddevice it), constructed according to the invention, mounted on a mastermusical instrument 11, such as an organ or a piano. The keyboard device10 may be used to control a remotely located chime instrument and isaccordingly located adjacent the keyboard portions of the master musicalinstrument 11 to facilitate playing. A frame 12, forming a cavity 13, issecured to the master instrument 11 by screws 14. For reasons which willbecome apparent, the frame 12 may be constructed of wood, plastic orother material which is preferably electrically non-conductive. Asimulated piano-type keyboard cf. reduced size is formed on the frame 12and comprises simulated white or ivory key portions 16 and black orebony key portions 17. While the simulated keyboard 15 may be formed onthe frame by any suitable means, such as painting, in the embodimentshown, it comprises a Vinylite plate which is secured to the frame byadhesive means.

A switch operator or plunger 13 is associated with each of the whitekeys 16 of the simulated keyboard, while a similar switch operator orplunger 19 is associated with each of the black keys i7. Plungers l8 andberyllium copper.

19 may be formed of any electrically non-conductive material, such asplastic or'wood, and for convenience, may be made different colors thanthe keys with which they are associated. Accordingly, the plungers 18may be black to contrast with the white keys 16, and the plungers 19maybe white to contrast with the black keys 17. The plunger 18 has anabutment 20 formed at the end thereof which projects into the cavity 13formed by the frame.

As may be seen in Fig. 2, the abutment 20 bears against a strip 21 ofspring-like electrically conductive material, which is secured atsubstantially one end thereof to the frame, by a retaining strip 22formed of wood or other non-conducting material. The conductive strip 21forms the movable contact means of a switch and may, for example, beconstructed of Phosphor bronze or The strip 21 is notched at 23 toreceive the retaining strip 22, and the notch and strip are insertedinto a recessed portion 24 formed in the frame on the roof of thecavity. The retaining strip 22 may be held in place by any suitablemeans such as, for example, screws or adhesive material. A portion 25 ofthe strip 21 adjacent the notched portion 23 may be used to form aterminal to which a lead 26 is connected by any suitable means such assoldering. The lead 26 is connected to the remotely located chimeinstrument and is generally arranged to energize one of the actuatingmeans for the vibrator elements. The movable contact means 27 associatedwith plunger 19 is constructed in the same manner as the contact means21 and is held in place by a retaining strip 28. A lead 29 is connectedto another of the actuating means in the chime instrument.

Fixed contact means 30 is aflixed to the bottom of retaining strip 28and is arranged to cooperate with movable contact means 21 to form asingle switch controlled by the movement of plunger 18. The fixedcontact 30 serves as a common contact for the movable contactsassociated with each of the plungers 18 on the keyboard. A similar fixedcontact 31 is affixed to the bottom of retaining strip 22 and performs asimilar function for the movable contacts associated with the plungers19. Fixed contact means 30 and 31 may be connected together and to asource of electrical energy by any suitable means. In operation, as oneof the plungers 18 is depressed by the player, its movable contact 21engages the fixed contact 30, and an associated actuating means in thechime instrument is energized to produce a note. Similarly, if one ofthe plungers 19 is depressed, as shown in Fig. 2, its movable contact 27engages the fixed contact 31 to produce another note in the chimeinstrument. Since the movable contact means 21 and 27 are formed ofspring-like material, they serve additionally to bias 4 their associatedplungers to a switch-open or undepressed position.

. The switches associated with the plungers 18 and 19 are each connectedto the remotely located chime instrument in such manner that eachplunger controls the production of a separate note by the instrument.Since the simulated'keys 16 and 17 of the keyboard are musicallyrepresentative of the notes produced by the actuation of theirassociated plungers, the player may use the keyboard as a guide in theplaying of the chime instrument. Inasmuch as the simulated keys are notmovable, it is apparent that the number and complexity of the actualoperating parts are minimized, thereby facilitating manufacture andmaintenance of the device.

It should be apparent that modifications may be made in the constructionand arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention,except as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is;

A keyboard device for selectively controlling an electrically operatedchime instrument, comprising a frame adapted for mounting on a mastermusical instrument and having a simulated piano type keyboard of reducedsize formed thereon, parallel supports inside of said frame, acontinuous fixed contact means mounted on each of said supports, aplurality of movable contact means mounted on each support arranged sothat they cooperate with the fixed contact means on an adjacent supportto form a plurality of switches, and a plurality of switch operatorsextending through said simulated keyboard and freely slidable therein soas to be normally urged downwardly, each of said switch operators beingbiased upwardly by the free end of its cooperating movable contactmeans, said movable contact means contacting its respective fixedcontact means when its cooperating switch operator, is forced downwardlyagainst said biasing action, each of said operators passing through adifferent key on said simulated keyboard so that the latter serves as aguide for the playing of said chime instrument.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,050,513 Barton Jan. 14, 1913 1,519,535 Finis Dec. 16, 1924 1,619,010Wilhelm Mar. 1, 1927 1,799,425 Kinney Apr. 7, 1931 2,701,498 Koch et al.Feb; 8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 289,193 Germany Dec. 13, 1915 673,689France Oct. 8, 1929

